UPMC Inside Advantage Available in Northwest Pa.

PITTSBURGH, April 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Employers in Northwestern Pennsylvania counties are now offering their employees the highest level of benefits at the lowest premium costs with UPMC Inside Advantage.

UPMC Inside Advantage, which became available earlier this year, is a three-tiered network that enables members to get the highest benefits and the lowest out-of-pocket costs when they utilize top-tier quality hospitals in Northwest Pennsylvania including UPMC Hamot, Warren General Hospital, Kane Community Hospital, as well as all other UPMC-owned facilities and all UPMC-contracted physicians.

UPMC Inside Advantage lowers premium costs by 22 percent over other comparable plans available to businesses in Northwest Pennsylvania. The members' advantage includes being able to choose their network based on what they want to pay, while still maintaining the highest quality of care. 

In addition, UPMC Inside Advantage members have the services of a care concierge who can coordinate any complex care required at UPMC network facilities located out of the area, such as Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, the Eye and Ear Institute of Pittsburgh, and the Hillman Cancer Center of Pittsburgh. Paid travel and lodging is available for both the member and immediate family members if travel is over 100 miles. The care concierge will help to schedule appointments and procedures, transfer medical records, and work out travel logistics.

"This is a high quality, robust health plan specially designed to maximize convenience, quality, and savings for our members in Northwest Pennsylvania," said Diane P. Holder, President and CEO of UPMC Health Plan. "Small and mid-sized businesses in this area will find this a cost-effective solution that will both please current employees and help attract new ones." 

Included on UPMC Inside Advantage's top tier are UPMC Hamot, Kane Community Hospital, Warren General Hospital, UPMC Horizon, UPMC Northwest, all UPMC-owned facilities and all UPMC-contracted physicians. 

"When we looked at UPMC Inside Advantage and compared it to everything else on the market, the plan just made so much sense," said J. Gordon Naughton, President of J.H. Bennett Moving & Storage of Erie. "It saved our company money, it saved our employees money. It was a no-brainer."

UPMC Inside Advantage members also benefit from having Member Advocates who can answer their questions, as well as access to health coaching services, pharmacy benefits, and global emergency services.   

Four UPMC Inside Advantage plans are available – two preferred provider organizations (PPOs), for small and mid-sized companies; and two exclusive provider organizations (EPOs), for small and mid-sized companies.  

About UPMC Health Plan
UPMC Health Plan, the second-largest health insurer in western Pennsylvania, is owned by UPMC, one of the nation's top-ranked health systems. The integrated partner companies of the UPMC Insurance Services Division – which includes UPMC Health Plan, UPMC WorkPartners, LifeSolutions (EAP), UPMC for You (Medical Assistance), and Community Care Behavioral Health – offer a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Special Needs Plan (SNP), CHIP, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance, and workers' compensation products and services to nearly 1.8 million members. UPMC Health Plan's local provider network includes UPMC as well as community providers, totaling more than 125 hospitals, and more than 11,500 physicians throughout Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. For more information, visit www.upmchealthplan.com.

SOURCE UPMC Health Plan